Gotta Beat the Champ to Be the Champ

There’s a lotta outcry over Benson Henderson’s decision win over Frankie Edgar a couple of hours ago at UFC 150. I thought Edgar slightly edged him out but the bottom line is that to be the champ you gotta beat the champ. That means that you have to win decisively otherwise the judges are likely to give the decision to the one who already has the belt.

Like I said, I had Edgar with a slight advantage, but it was so slight that I wasn’t outraged when they raised Henderson’s hand. It wasn’t a robbery or a travesty of justice. It was giving the champ the nod in a close fight, which is what happens 9 times out of 10.

Now when Henderson took the belt from Edgar he won his fight decisively. Edgar still maintains that he won that first fight but I had Henderson winning all 5 rounds clearly. Tonight it was a tossup that could have gone 3 rounds to 2 for either fighter. I happened to think it was Edgar but two judges thought it was Henderson. Fair enough. Quit crying.